Foldable work-bench



Dec. 25, 1962 Filed June 12, 1961 RMZMM T. G. BAASLAND FOLDABLEWORK-BENCH :vow

2 Sheets-Sheet l rISA r4 INVENTOR. I TORJUS e. BAASLAND wt. QWMJL Dec.25, 1962 T. c5. BAASLAND 3,070,138

FOLDABLE WORK-BENCH Filed June 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.TORJUS G. BAA$LAND WZ. SWMJL iinined States hatent @iihce 3,070,13sFOLDABLE WQRKGBENCH Tories G. liaasland, Lexington, Ky. (755 E. 52ndSt., Broolriyn 3, N.Y.) Filed June 12, 1961, Ser. No. 116,4ltl 3 Qiaims.(El. Bid-A286) This invention relates to work-benches, or the like,which may be readily assembled or disassembled, and which, whendisassembled may be folded into a compact space.

Various structures of this type have been proposed but, so far as I amaware, have embodied certain limitations which it is a purpose of myinvention to overcome. For example, in the field of carpentry a need haslong existed for a work-bench which can be packaged in a portable box;carried in an automobile to the work site; carried through narrowspaces, as between joists of a building; assembled at the work site in amatter of minutes; embody a large work surface at an appropriate heightand on which a plurality of operations may be conducted; and have asturdy construction which will resist compression, twisting and tippingstresses.

An. object of the invention is to provide a work-bench or the likecharacterized by its ability to satisfy each of the above-listedrequirements.

Another object is to provide a work-bench or the like in which thesupporting structure may comprise pairs of structural elementsinterchangeable with each other and contributing to ease of assembly andreduction in cost of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled workbench prior toattachment of work tools thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing thestructure to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of the underside of the top member taken from the planeindicated at 4-4- in FIG. 1 as viewed upwardly;

FIG. 5 is a view of the base portion of the structure taken from theplane indicated at 4-4 in FIG. 1 as viewed downwardly;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a detail taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View of a detail taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a detail taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 5; and

MG. 9 is a perspective view of an upright in expanded position and to alarger scale.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a two-panel topmember hingedly secured together and forming the largest single unitrequiring storage. This top member, when stowed, occupies twice thethickness, one half the width, and the same length as it does whenunfolded for use. Preferably, the length of the top member panelrepresents the largest dimension of any part of the structure and thewidth of the panel is at least as great as the Width of the frameworks.Four vertical posts, each comprising two legs arranged side-by-side,provide vertical support for the top member. A pair of foldableuprights, each of which comprises a first and a second frameworkhingedly secured together, and adequately braced, are employed. Eachframework includes a first and a second vertical leg with the adjacecntlegs of the respective frameworks, when in assembled position, servingto form the four vertical posts. The lower ends of these posts rest uponthe floor or other surface and a pair of foldable stabilizing basemembers are detachably engaged therewith to provide a large base ofsupport for the structure and to minimize any tipping action. The upperends of the posts rest in contact with the undersurfaces of the extendedtop member, and in order to distribute the loading on that top memberduring usage, a pair of foldable supports are attached both to theundersurface of the top member and to the posts, as well as to eachother, thus to minimize any torsional action of the top member aboutthose posts.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a generous work surface for the carpenter orother user of the apparatus is provided by the flat top membercomprising foldable panels and 11 joined along their abutting edges byhinges l2 and 13. For purposes of illustration, the apparatus is shownbeing formed of wood, but other materials may be employed andparticularly for forming the top member. As a significant feature, theprimary support for the top member is provided by a pair of foldableuprights, preferably of identical and interchangeable nature, and one ofwhich is best seen in FIG. 9.

This representative upright includes a first framework having a firstleg 14 and a second leg 15 rigidly held in parallel spaced relation toecah other by an upper cross bar 16 and a lower cross bar 17, the lattercross bar being adapted to rest upon the floor or other surfacesupporting the work-bench during use. Corner braces 13, 19, 20 and 21serve to reinforce the framework. The complementary secondary frameworkof the same on right comprises a first leg 22 and a second leg 23rigidly held in parallel spaced relation to ach other by an upper crossbar 24 and a lower cross bar 25. Corner braces 26, 27, 28 and 29 serveto reinforce this framework. The lower cross bar 25 is adapted to restupon the floor and the upper cross bar 24 preferably, but notnecessarily, is adapted to contact the under surfaces of the panels ofthe top member. Suitable hinges 3t) and 31 hold the two frameworks inpermanently attached, but foldable relation, to each other.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, in assembling the apparatus the legsof the described upright and of its companion upright whose similarparts are: indicated by the suffix, A, will when so assembled form fourposts indicated generally at 32, 33, 34 and 35. Each post comprises twolegs, the bottoms of which rest on the floor and the tops of whichcontact the under surfaces of the top member, and these posts are spacedsymmetrically apart and provide a central region in the top memberinteriorly of the posts and of sufficient area for a large aperture 36in the top member for a purpose later to be described. Two pairs ofdetachable fastenings, one of which is seen at 37, 38 in FIG. 1, serveto join the adjacent legs of the adjacent separate uprights together andin cooperation with the pair of hinges 3t 31 on each upright provide forstabilization against twisting of the supports.

For stabilization against tipping, as when long pieces of lumber or thelike are being handled on the work surface, the invention comprehendsthe use of a pair of foldable base members as best seen in FIGS. 1 and5. One of these base members comprises an elongated foot 49 connected byhinge 41 to a shorter cross foot &2 and which cross foot is securelyengaged as by a mortise joint (FIG. 7) with the other elongated footitlA. Suitable detachable fastenings, as seen at 43, 44, 45 and 46,rigidly hold the pair of assembled base feet against each of the foursupporting posts adjacent the lower ends of those posts. The base feetrest upon the floor and the cross feet portions thereof, as well as theends of the elongated feet portions extend outwardly of the postssufiiciently far to stabilize the structure against tipping.

As seen in FIG. 4, the thus-described supporting structure mayconveniently be secured to the top member by a pair of interchangeablefoldable upper supports. G-nc of these supports comprises a first arm5%; extending across the abutting edges of the panels 14 and 11 and hashinged thereto as at 51 a second arm 52 extending generally parallel tothose edges. By means of suitable detachable fastenings 53 and the pairof upper supports are rigidly connected to each other during use. Forrigidly securing the upper supports to the four posts, suitabledetachable fastening means such as seen at 55, 56, 57 and 53 areprovided adjacent the tops of those posts. Finally, for rigidlyassembling the top member upon the described structure any suitablemeans, such as a series of removable screws 59 passing through the uppersupports and engaging in the underside of the top member panels may beused. in the event that such secure mounting is not required, a seriesof register pins of the like (not shown) may be permanently mounted inthe upper surface of the upper supports to engage in holes in thosepanels.

The dimensions of the foldable upper supports preferably are such as tolocate the ends of the respective arms well outboard of the posts and todistribute the loadings placed upon the top member. In general, I preferto employ a top member of substantially square shape and whose edge lieat substantially uniform distances fro-m the posts. The top member isadapted for use with many types of tools employed by carpenters or otherartisans, such as electric saws, routers, drills, planet's or the like.The upper surface of the top member may be formed with tracks so, 61 foruse with movable mitering guides or the like. The aperture 36 may beformed with suitable shoulders on which a selected tool may be rigidlymounted, and the construction of the framework of the uprightspreferably is such as to permit ready manipulation of switches forelectric tools upon reaching beneath the top member. The inventioncomprehends the substitution of one top member for another withoutchange in the remainder of the structure, and in such usage a series oftop members formed, for example, of plastic materials having apertures36 of pro-per size molded therein for receiving a chosen tool, may beemployed.

In all cases, however, the top member and the remainder of the structureis intended to be readily foldable into a compact space when not in use.When necessary to achieve a minimum of storage space, hinges, such asseen in FIG. 6, and other fastenings may be suitably recessed into theparts to which they are attached.

Having thus described the invention, the advantages thereof will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art. The interchangeability ofthe numbers Within the several pairs of elements; the rapidity withwhich the structure may be assembled and disassembled; the strengthachieved by the mutual reinforcing of the several parts; and the l0-cation of the axes of the several hinges and fastening means indifferent planes for achieving reinforcement, all assist in overcomingdisadvantages found in conventional work benches.

Modifications of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art andit is to be understood therefore, that this dinvention is not limited tothe particular embodiments disclosed, but that it is intended to coverall modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of theappended claims. 1

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a work-bench or the like adapted for folding into a compact spacewhen disassembled, the combination comprising a top member having a pairof panels hinged to each other along their abutting edges, a pair offoldable uprights each having a first framework and a second framework,each framework comprising a first vertical leg and a second vertical legwith braces therebetween, hinges connecting the second leg of each ofsaid first frameworks with the first leg of each of said secondframeworks, fastening means detachably connecting the first legs of eachof said first frameworks with the second legs of each of said secondframeworks, a pair of foldable stabilizing base members each comprisingan elongated foot and a cross foot hingedly connected thereto, meansdetachably securing the outer end of each of said cross feet to therespective elongated foot of the other base member, fastening meansdetachably connecting each of said elongated feet to the secondframeworks of the respective uprights adjacent the lower ends of thelegs thereof and outboard of said legs thereof, a pair of foldable uppersupports each comprising a first arm extending across the abutting edgesof said panels and a second arm extending generally parallel to saidabutting edges and hingedly connected to said first arm, fastening meansdetachably connecting each of said second arms adjacent the outer endsthereof to said first arms of the other upper support, fastening meansdetachably connecting each of said second arms to the respective secondframeworks of said first and second uprights adjacent the upper ends ofthe legs thereof and outboard of said legs, and means for detachablysecuring said upper supports to the undersides of each of said panelsthereby to support said top member rigidly upon said uprights.

2. A work-bench as defined in claim 1 wherein said braces between saidfirst and second vertical legs of at least one of said frameworksinclude a lower cross bar adapted to rest upon the same surface as thefeet of said stabilizing base members.

3. A work-bench as defined in claim 1 wherein said I braces between saidfirst and second vertical legs of at least one of said frameworksinclude an upper cross bar adapted to contact the underside of said topmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

